Bottle closure and liquid dropper



T. J. DYKEMA BOTTLE CLOSURE AND LIQUID DROPPER Original Filed Feb. 7,1931 INVENTOR Rim-d Apes, 1935 UNITED STATES,

BOTTLE CLOSURE AND LIQUID DROPPEB Tunis J. Dykema, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Original No. 1,843,812, dated February 2, 1932,

Serial No. 514,167, February 7, 1931. Applicaion for reissue January 29,1935, Serial No.

comm ((1221- 148) This invention relates to combined bottle stoppers andliquid droppers.

Certain disadvantages attend the use of the usual forms of liquid, ormedicine, droppers. These being separate from the container with whoseliquid content they are to be used, they may be misplaced readily,become contaminated, or be broken. For these and other reasons it hasbeen proposed to combine such droppers with the container closures. Thedevices available for this purpose prior to my invention, however, havebeen subject to various disadvantages which have militated against theirwide use. For example, in some forms of those devices the dropper 'wasassociated with a rubber stopper. Such stoppers are hard to manipulate.Also, some liquids and medicaments may cause loosening of the stopperand impairing the seal, or making it diflicult or impossible to replaceit after being removed from the bottle. Other forms suggested made useof more or less complicated constructions, and were thus undesirable.For example, some of them made use of a cap member which had to beremoved to expose the dropper bulb, and for this reason they wereimpractical and inconvenient. Such cap members are made in most casesfrom cork, metal, or rubber, and in many cases these materials have aninjurious eifect on certain liquids and medicaments, and for this reasonthey are undesirable.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a combined stopperand dropper unit which is of simple, sturdy and inexpensiveconstruction, efliclently seals the container, in which the dropper andclosure are removed as a unit by a single manipulation, and whichminimizes or overcomes many of the disadvantages of the prior artstructures. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a cross section of a bottle showing thestopper-dropper in place; Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sections through thecap and bulb members, showing details of construction.

The device provided by this invention comprises a cap member adapted toengage the neck of a container, and a dropper member having a portionadapted to form the sole seal for the container, thus eliminating theuse of stoppers having a portion going inside of the neck of thecontainer. These parts are associated to act in unitary fashion so faras their application to or removal from the container is concerned.

Referring to the drawing, the dropper member comprises an elastic bulbI, provided at one end an outwardly extending flange 3.

with the usual opening 2 which is surrounded by A groove 4 formedperipherally in the inner annular surface 4a of flange 3 receives andengages a bead 5 formed on the upper end of a tubular dropper bodymember 6. This body member is preferably 5 made from glass, and it mayassume any of the customary forms used for droppers.

The cap member comprises a downwardly extending skirt 1 adapted toengage neck It of a container 9, and an inwardly extending flange IIIwhich forms a top having an aperture I I. The cap is formed of rigidmaterial, for example glass or molded plastic, and is provided withthreads I! which cooperate with complementary threads l3 formed on neck8. Engagement of the neck by the cap may be effected other than by thescrew threads shown, various means being available for this purpose.

The stopper-dropper is assembled for use by forcing bulb I upwardlythrough aperture II to seat flange 3 within the cap against top I ll.Dropper body 6 being connected to bulb I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,there is provided a unitary structure in which the bulb extends upwardlythrough, and the dropper body downwardly from, the cap.

Flange 3 is of such size as to make'a tight frictional fit within thecap, and it lies between top flange III and the lip ofneck 8 when thestopper-dropper is applied to the container. Upon screwing the cap downupon the neck flange 3 is pressed .tightly against the neck lip andseals the container against leakage. As shown in Fig. 1 thisflange formsthe sole seal for the container, but because of the constructionefficient sealing is assured.

It will be seen that as thus assembled and used there is provided acombined stopper-dropper which is applied, removed, and used as a unit.40 When the cap is unscrewed and lifted from the container it carriesthe dropper, which is then ready for immediate use, the bulb beingexposed and always ready for sucking up and dropping liquid in the usualmanner. The cap and dropper are always together, which eliminates theinconveniences of separate droppers. Also, the simplicity ofconstruction and use, and the efilciency of the stopper-dropper providedby this invention substantially overcome the disadvantages of thoseavailable heretofore. Other advantages are that the invention eliminatesthe use of corks and the labor of applying them. An important feature isthat it makes possible the use of smaller containers with a longerglass, so that the user can drain the contents more thoroughly andeasily than in the case of containers generally used with separatedroppers.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I'have explained theprinciple and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated anddescribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However,I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. The combination with a liquid container having a neck, of a combinedclosure and dropper associated removably as a unit with said neck andcomprising a cap member having a downwardly extending neck-engagingskirt and a top flange extending inwardly from said skirt to form anapertured top, a dropper member comprising an elastic bulb having anoutwardly extending sealing flange surrounding its lower open end, saidsealing flange having a peripherally formed groove in its inner annularsurface, and a downwardly extending tubular dropper body provided with abead on its upper end engaging said groove, said bulb passing upwardlythrough the aperture in said cap with its sealing flange surrounded bysaid skirt and engaging the top of said cap to be frictionally engagedby said cap, and said flange forming with the lip of said neck the soleseal for the container when the neck is engaged by the cap.

2. The combination with a liquid container having a neck, ofa combinedclosure and dropper associated removably as a unit with said neck andcomprising a cap member having a downwardly extending neck-engagingskirt and a top flange extending inwardly from said skirt to form anapertured top, a dropper member comprising an elastic bulb having anoutwardly extending sealing flange surrounding its open lower end, and adownwardly extending tubular dropper having its upper end associatedwith the lower end of said bulb, one of said ends being provided with agroove and the other of said ends being provided with a flangeinterengaging said groove,

said bulb passing upwardly through the aperture in said cap with thesealing flange surrounded by said skirt and engaging the top of said capto be frictionally engaged by said cap, and said flange forming with thelip of said neck the sole seal for the container when the neck isengaged by the cap.

3. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to fit over and form a coverfor the top of a bottle and a liquid dropper consisting of an externallyflanged elastic bulb having a dropper tube engaged in an open neckforming the bottom of the bulb, one of said tube and neck being providedwith a groove and the other thereof being provided with a flangeinterengaging said groove, the external flange of the bulb beingdisposed about the region of the interengaging portions of the tube andneck to enhance the engagement therebetween and being of such diameteras to seat on the bottle to seal the same upon application of the capthereto, said bulb being extended upwardly through the opening in saidcap with the dropper tube projecting therebelow and the body of the bulbfrictionally engaging the cap whereby adapting the dropper to move withthe cap as a unit.

4. A combined bottle closure and liquid drop per comprising a rigid caphaving a central open ing in its top and a depending skirt on itadapting it to fit over and form a cover for the top of a bottle, and aliquid dropper consisting of an elastic bulb having a dropper tubeengaged in an open neck forming the lower end of the bulb, said bulbbeing extended upwardly through the opening in the cap with the droppertube projecting therebelow, said neck portion of the bulb having aflange formed integral therewith which is adapted to enhance theengagement between the dropper tube and the bulb and is also adapted tofrictionally engage the skirt of the cap in such a way as to cause thecap and dropper to move as a unit when the cap is removed from thebottle and also forms a sealing gasket which is forced against the topof the bottle by the cap when the later is forced thereover.

5. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to fit over and form a coverfor the top of a bottle and a liquid dropper consisting of an externallyflanged elastic bulb having a dropper tube engaged in an open neckforming the bottom of the bulb, the flange of the bulb being of suchdiameter as to seat on the bottle to seal the same upon application ofthe cap thereto and being disposed substantially at the bottom of thebulb so that no substantialportion of the bulb extends down into thebottle, said bulb being extended upwardly through the opening in saidcap with the dropper tube projecting therebelow and the body of the bulbfrictionally engaging the cap whereby adapting the dropper to move withthe cap as a unit.

6. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to fit over and form a coverfor the top of a bottle and a liquid dropper consisting of an externallyflanged elastic bulb having a dropper tube grippingly engaged in an openneck forming the bottom of the bulb and at the inside of the flange ofthe bulb whereby the flange enhances the engagement between the tube andneck, the flange being of such diameter as to seat on the bottle to sealthe same upon application of the cap thereto, said bulb being extendedupwardly through the opening in said cap with the dropper tubeprojecting therebelow and the body of the bulb frictionally engaging thecap whereby adapting the dropper to move with the cap as a unit.

7. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to fit over and form a coverfor the top of a bottle and a liquid dropper consisting of an externallyflanged elastic bulb having a dropper tube engaged in an open neckforming the bottom of the bulb, one of said tube and neck being providedwith a groove and the other thereof being provided with a flangeinterengaging said groove, the external flange of the bulb being of suchdiameter as to seat on the bottle to seal the same upon application ofthe cap thereto, said bulb being extended upwardly through the openingin said cap with the dropper tube projecting therebelow and the body ofthe bulb frictionally engaging the cap whereby adapting the dropper tomove with the cap as a for the top of a bottle and a liquid dropperconsisting of an externally flanged elastic bulb having a dropper tubeengaged in an open neck forming the bottom of the bulb, the diameter ofsaid opening in the cap being at least approximately as great as theexternal diameter of the upper or squeezing portion of the bulb, one ofsaid tube and neck being provided with a groove and the other thereofbeing provided with a flange interengaging said groove, the externalflange of the bulb being of such diameter as to seat on the bottle toseal the same upon application of the cap thereto, said bulb beingextended upwardly through the opening in said cap with the dropper tubeprojecting therebelow and the body of the bulb frictionalLv engaging thecap whereby adapting the dropper to move with the cap as a unit.

9. A combined bottle closure and liquid dropper comprising a rigid caphaving a central opening in it and adapted to flt over and :l'orm acover for the top of a bottle and a liquid dropper consisting of anexternally flanged elastic bulb having a dropper tube engaged in an openneck forming the bottom of'the bulb, the diameter 01 said opening in thecap being at least approximately as great as. the external diameter orthe upper or squeezing portion of the bulb, one of said tube and neckbeing provided with a groove and the other thereof being provided with aflange interengaging said groove, the external flange of the bulb beingdisposed substantially at the bottom of the bulb so that no substantialportion of the bulb extends down into the bottle and about the region ofthe interengaging portions of the tube and neck to enhance theengagement therebetween and being of such diameter as to seat on thebottle to seal the same upon application oi. the cap thereto, said bulbbeing extended upwardly through the opening in said cap with the droppertube projecting therebelow and the body of the bulb Irictionallyengaging the cap whereby adapting the dropper to move with the cap as aunit.

TUNIS J. DYKEMA.

